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My take on news headlines and other subjectsFri, 27 Oct 2017 13:06:10 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.com/Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by teaformumhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-143
Fri, 27 Oct 2017 13:06:10 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-143YOU are spot on
2 & 1/2 years later, and I just read this blog….I went there under false pretenses also, and agree with your comments totally……the worst part for me was that I also ate something from the free cocktail & canapes night that the resort put on, and was sick, sick, sick for 2 days….I hated the place, so overrated….I went to visit the beautiful islands, and couldn’t even take many pics because little monkey boy was in my face ( and everyone elses) all the time taking movies & pictures of everyone, even when they didn’t want them, so bloody annoying, because they wanted you to buy their dvd’s & photo packages for a hefty price….spoilt my whole enjoyment of visiting the islands….and they rushed us through the whole tour…I could go on, and on, and on, but I won’t. I’m just glad to be back home, where I don’t have any monkey boys hovering over me trying to sell me things.
]]>Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by wisdomshovelerhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-104
Mon, 06 Apr 2015 18:19:51 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-104I agree with your opinion of Western tourists expectations. I also would like to clarify that I went to Thailand not as a tourist but for work. My work consisted, among other goals, of improving lives of many people who lived in horrible conditions in rural areas. I stayed there for 6 weeks and did not get to enjoy 5-star amenities, nor did I expect them. I certainly was not “treated like a sultan” but more like a potential source of cash and with disdain that was palpable. My comments are, by nature, subjective. I write about what I see and experience. Furthermore, if you don’t care what we observe or think, why even bother commenting? Isn’t it a bit insincere and hypocritical? If you want a more positive image of your country, you need to contribute to it. Don’t sell your daughters into prostitution. Treat visitors with respect. Then, the whole world will be a better place for all.
]]>Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by Khnomhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-103
Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:51:25 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-103Thailand suffers from exaggerated anticipations and idealized myth-building on the part of the tourists. The exoticism, live and let live atmosphere, and the dream of a super easy life combine in tourists minds. They form a dream of Thailand as a place where they can come, do whatever they want in excess and the friendly little brown people will pick them up, sooth their brows, and gently tuck them in like ole mom used to do. The dream is a modern place with a South Seas core where food falls off trees and one can sleep on the beach.

That is the idealized image concocted as the tourist puts down big bux and 20 hours to get here by plane. Upon arrival, he expects to be treated like a sultan, babied by all, and slipped into 5-star digs and food for ten dollars a day. He expects all to bow to him as he shouts his demands in English, points with his feet, and sneers at Buddhism.

Then, the would-be sultan hits reality and finds shattered dreams are the worst. He wants revenge and writes ignorant, selfish, unfair negativity to try to get even with a nation and a culture he found, to his Western surprise, does not care what he thinks at all. These typists are sad, sour people whose world view ends a half inch from the end of their noses.

]]>Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by web agencyhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-86
Wed, 08 Oct 2014 20:30:27 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-86Thanks for any other informative web site. The place else could I get that kind of info written in such
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]]>Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by wisdomshovelerhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-62
Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:29:30 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-62Thank you for your insightful comments.
When I visited Cambodia, I learned about the long standing hostilities between the Thai and the Khmer people. As for the Burmese, the refugees from Myanmar are mistreated and often enslaved by the Indonesian, the Malaysian, and the Thai alike. The worst faring are of course the Rohingya, but that’s a topic for another blog entry altogether.
Over my lifetime I lived in five countries, so different in language and culture from one another: Belgium, Poland, Mexico, Haiti, United States. I therefore wholeheartedly agree that it’s easier for someone who adapts well.
]]>Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by John Ishmaelhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-61
Sat, 23 Feb 2013 06:27:48 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-61I`ve lived and worked in Bangkok for 25 years now. With regard to the language, yes Thai women do tend to have a rather shrill, nasal accent but this is only really noticeable during excited conversation. The language itself is actually quite easy to learn with it`s very simple grammar. The biggest hurdle for a Westerner is becoming attuned to the five different tones. Learning to read and write Thai is no more difficult than any other language and Thai is a logical language. Because I understand the Thai language, I have heard Thais say some very derogatory things about Westerners standing only a few feet from them. Not good. Nationalism, rather than patriotism, is encouraged in Thailand and to be honest I think it`s over the top as quite a few Thais do have racist tendencies, especially towards the Burmese migrant workers. There are still a lot of genuinely nice Thai people as well though. Thailand is a feudal society and though it has never been colonised by a military power, it has been from within by Han Chinese immigrants who make up the super wealthy elite running the country, and in effect are the overlords of the ethnic Thais. These rich puu yais as they are known literally get away with murder due to their enormous wealth and serious corruption within the police, judiciary and politicians. As for Thai food, some of it is nice, mainly the seafood, and some not so friendly to western palates, usually due to the liberal use of fresh coriander as an ingredient. If you come to live here you really need to leave your western values behind in the airport departure lounge because the culture in Thailand (and other Asian countries) is completely alien to many in the west. The sex tourism industry is very localised and out of view to most people. Thais tend to be rather conservative and many disapprove of the seedier side of life in Thailand. Overall though, it`s not a bad place to live as long as you learn to adapt to Thai ways.
]]>Comment on Thailand: Greatly Overrated by Jhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/thailand-greatly-overrated/#comment-60
Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:12:45 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=106#comment-60What to say? Had a long time gf from Thailand (met her here, not in Thailand). Ups and downs like any other relationship. After the split, visited a few times. Interesting in some ways but the culture is very set in concrete. The absence of colonisation is a plus in many respects, but it also contributes to a pig headed pride in the people. Unless elite educated, Thais are labourers or whores when they work overseas. Filipinos are often nurses, definitely the case in Australia. Everyone looks down on Filipinos, but they speak the global language. Like it or lump it, English is the global business language. If you genuinely have an affinity for Thai culture, then go for it. Visit there, lie there, whatever. I’m over it. I’ll never return. Good luck!
]]>Comment on Equal Pay for Equal Work — how to go about getting it by saywhateveriwanthttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/equal-pay-for-equal-work/#comment-59
Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:04:19 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=152#comment-59I could read your blog all day, thanks 🙂
]]>Comment on On Conception and Contraception by wisdomshovelerhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/on-conception-and-contraception/#comment-49
Sun, 02 Dec 2012 00:05:56 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=165#comment-49If by my point you mean science’s point you are right. I presented facts and my point was to inform the uninformed and/or the misinformed.
]]>Comment on Equal Pay for Equal Work — how to go about getting it by wisdomshovelerhttps://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/equal-pay-for-equal-work/#comment-48
Sat, 01 Dec 2012 21:33:39 +0000http://wisdomshovels.wordpress.com/?p=152#comment-48Seriously? How so?
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